dishwasher not draining..,little help please, FIXED

[johnn]

swore i would never attempt repairs to a dishwasher, however mines not draining and im hoping there may be a simple fix. No the garbage disposer is not in need of running, have already learned that fix years ago,however the wife did dump a ton of left overs down it, instead of in the trash. Is it possible that the drain port for the dishwasher where it enters the disposal got clogged? An old sink master, which describes knocking out the plug with a screwdriver if utilizing a dish waqsher hook -up.So evidently there would be no screen to ward off blockage, if it ever happens?? Your thoughts please!

 

[DAKSY]

Does the sink above these two units still drain?
If not, the system is plugged.
If it does, then remove the "wye" connector under the DW
& check it for blockage..

 

[festerw]

Could be 1 of 2 things IMO. 1 which is the drain hose is plugged. 2 is that the pump is broken, this isn't as serious as it sounds. The drain hose could be cleaned with a small snake or a coat hanger. If you can find a part diagram of the dishwasher online you will be able to disassemble the upper half of the pump and find the broken parts and replace should be fairly inexpensive and can be done with normal tools or at least this was the case with my mom's Kenmore.

 

[Stephen in SoKY]

The screens and/or filter channels leading to the macerator and pump could also be blocked. To find out requires pulling the lower spray arm & shielding, though that's not as bad as it sounds.

 

[johnn]

Culprit::: coffee grounds getting suspended when garbage disposal is not draining...,once you turn it on they are high enough in the canester to get shoved off into the dishwater drain hole.

 

[johnn]

Thanks Guys,,,I at least feel as though i might attempt working on one some day, after reading your posts.. Just that i have seen schematics ,and was a little leary. Got her fixed. I posted a new thread about it, because i hadnt refreshed and didnt see any replies until after i posted the second time.

 

[Gooserider]

Glad to hear you got it fixed... In order to reduce confusion, I've merged the two threads together, and edited the title to match...

I actually just had to fix our dishwasher, but on the other end of the system - the fill valve / inlet valve had gotten "tired" and wasn't allowing enough water into the machine to get a good wash... The dishes were coming out dirty, often with a brown gritty powder on them. It had me confused because I was getting SOME water in the machine, just not enough... After spending some time on the various appliance repair websites, I saw this was a possible cause, and was able to confirm it by using the sink spray hose to pre-fill the machine before starting the cycle, which got things much cleaner.

I then tried pulling the valve out and test running it - the old valve let a about a gallon of water through during a fill cycle, but it took about 3 gallons to fill the machine to the proper level.

Of course the job would have been much easier if the under-sink shutoff valve for the dishwasher hadn't decided to stick open while I was verifying that it wasn't a problem with the shutoff or connecting hose... Can you say FLOOD :bug:....

Bottom line - me fixing DW, one valve, approx $35; Plumber to fix undersink shutoff - parts $40, labor $190 :coolmad: However the new shutoff is hopefully more reliable, and the dishes now get clean the way they should...

Gooserider

 

[johnn]

thanks Gooserider for fixing my mess! I should have just stayed with the same thread. I`m still having memory issues with my computer, we talked about, or perhaps with another Mod.,,,and sometimes it confuses me!
Isn`t it so typical with plumbing, particularly with under the sink repairs,,,sorry for the FLOOD... Wouldn`t it be nice if home owners insurance ,,had a plan to have all your shutoff valves replaced every so many years, by a plumber, for a minimal straight deductable.. Woo-Wee
Be sure to let us know how your block off plate worked out for you when you do your next sweep..Thanks again

ML

 

[Gooserider]

One of the things that our plumber has been slowly doing over the course of years, is any time he has to replace a shutoff, he's been using a ball valve. This is supposed to be a big improvement as ball valves have a more positive shutoff than the old traditional types, and don't have the exposed seats and stems to corrode over time - the actual seals and sealing surfaces in a ball valve are essentially protected by the ball itself when the valve is open... IMHO, if doing a shutoff, do it with a ball valve...

Gooserider

 

[Danno77]

coffee grounds always go into the garden at my place. problem solved.